2014 Offseason

[Nightcrawler]

Never heard of the site..... Doesn't mean it's not credible tho.

 

[donaldson79]

Never heard of the site..... Doesn't mean it's not credible tho.

I'm not positive, but I think there's some affiliation with YardBarker.

 

[darrylgann]

Damn.....according to Sportsnaut

Lester will go to the Cubs, Max to the Angels, Shields/Melky to Seattle, Cruz with the O's, and Vic Martinez to the A's.

Seems like our division is going to make a splash according to this site.

Angels can't afford Scherzer. Doubt Seattle can afford Shields and Melky.

 

[scotsman1948]

Damn.....according to Sportsnaut

Lester will go to the Cubs, Max to the Angels, Shields/Melky to Seattle, Cruz with the O's, and Vic Martinez to the A's.

Seems like our division is going to make a splash according to this site.

saw that and apparently we aren't going to do very much

 

[scotsman1948]

Angels can't afford Scherzer. Doubt Seattle can afford Shields and Melky.

seems to me some people were saying about them and still they made some pricey moves

 

[saddles]

No, finding a top middle infielder is a great philosophy. I don't consider Elvis to be great. I think the Rangers have a great philosophy in stockpiling SS prospects. Teams are always looking for middle infield help. By having a surplus, you can trade off the most expendable one for a good return (notice I didn't say just any return). For the $$ involved, Elvis to me would be the one to trade first.

As for why the Dodgers would trade for Elvis instead of signing a cheaper alternative, I would think that answer would be obvious. They're the Dodgers. They have limitless funds and don't care about how much a player's salary is. Elvis is still a better overall SS than most, at least in terms of his talent and ceiling. So in a world where salaries don't matter, then an albatross contract like his doesn't matter. That is the world in which the Dodgers play. Unfortunately, the Rangers and about 27 other teams DO have to worry about salaries and how/where they invest their money. So being able to roll with a Lowrie, a Hardy, a Crawford, etc. at SS for far less than Elvis makes and instead investing that money in a TORP or a cleanup hitter makes more sense, especially when those "lesser" SS can give you similar production to Elvis.

There's a reason why the only team you're hearing about willing to take on the Elvis contract is the Dodgers.

I like Elvis' talent and ceiling like you mentioned. That is why I want to keep him instead of getting a much lesser SS. We are not going to be able to sign a TORP anyway. That is stuff for fantasies. This team has never been able to land that kind of a pitcher in free agency.

The only reason we are at our budget's limits is because of Choo and Fielder. Losing Elvis to make up for those mistakes would be compounding our mistakes in my opinion. We just need to wait until we can unload one or both of Choo and Fielder. Neither of them come close to being worth what they will be paid in the future either. Between the three of them I think Elvis comes the closest in the future to earning his salary.

 

[saddles]

saw that and apparently we aren't going to do very much

I guess management has found better ways to spend their new TV money. I don't know what they are spending it on, but they must think it is better used there than on new players.

 

[saddles]

There were some interesting trade rumors in today's Newberg report. Here are some of them.

" According to Dennis Lin (San Diego Union-Tribune), Padres GM A.J. Preller “will head into next week’s GM Meetings in Phoenix with an offense that could use at least two bats. . . . Trading one of the club’s top three starting pitchers — Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, and Ian Kennedy — likely will be explored.”
· T.R. Sullivan writes that San Diego is less likely to move Ross than the other two, and could be interested in Luis Sardinas as part of any package for pitching. Sullivan adds that the Reds seek outfield help and could dangle one of their four starting pitchers who are a year away from free agency — Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake, and Alfredo Simon — and that the Mets are also interested in bats and could shop starting pitchers Dillon Gee and Jon Niese."

"According to Sullivan, the Rangers have made an “opening offer” to free agent Colby Lewis. It’s unclear whether the offer was of the non-roster variety (as it was a year ago), which would obviously help Texas with its imminent roster crunch but which Lewis might not be resigned to taking after his strong second half (3.86 ERA, .251/.304/.434 opponents’ slash, 6.2 innings per start). It was reportedly locally in September that Lewis, very much interested in staying with the Rangers, actually initiated contract talks with the club."

"Ken Davidoff (New York Post) predicts that Martin, lefthander Francisco Liriano, and outfielder Nori Aoki end up with the Rangers, even though “Texas hasn’t been mentioned much in the Martin sweepstakes.” R.J. Anderson (Baseball Prospectus) also predicts that Texas reunites Jeff Banister with Martin, and places outfielder Melky Cabrera and right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano with the Rangers as well."

" Jerry Crasnick (ESPN) reports that Seattle is [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]“expected to shop outfielder Michael Saunders hard at [the] GM Meetings.” Major League sources tell Chris Cotillo (MLB Daily Dish) that the Rangers, Reds, Dodgers, Tigers, Orioles, Blue Jays, Mets, A[FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]’s, Angels, Rays, and Phillies are “the teams to watch”[FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif] in talks for the left-handed-hitting outfielder, who turns 28 later this month. "[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]


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[scotsman1948]

I guess management has found better ways to spend their new TV money. I don't know what they are spending it on, but they must think it is better used there than on new players.

well if they don't put a competitive team on the field their income is going to go down. and without some moves to bring in at least 2 SP and a bat thru FA and/or trade this team is not going to be close to competitive especially if the others in the West even come close to the projected moves.

 

[scotsman1948]

There were some interesting trade rumors in today's Newberg report. Here are some of them.

" According to Dennis Lin (San Diego Union-Tribune), Padres GM A.J. Preller “will head into next week’s GM Meetings in Phoenix with an offense that could use at least two bats. . . . Trading one of the club’s top three starting pitchers — Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, and Ian Kennedy — likely will be explored.”
· T.R. Sullivan writes that San Diego is less likely to move Ross than the other two, and could be interested in Luis Sardinas as part of any package for pitching. Sullivan adds that the Reds seek outfield help and could dangle one of their four starting pitchers who are a year away from free agency — Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake, and Alfredo Simon — and that the Mets are also interested in bats and could shop starting pitchers Dillon Gee and Jon Niese."

"According to Sullivan, the Rangers have made an “opening offer” to free agent Colby Lewis. It’s unclear whether the offer was of the non-roster variety (as it was a year ago), which would obviously help Texas with its imminent roster crunch but which Lewis might not be resigned to taking after his strong second half (3.86 ERA, .251/.304/.434 opponents’ slash, 6.2 innings per start). It was reportedly locally in September that Lewis, very much interested in staying with the Rangers, actually initiated contract talks with the club."

"Ken Davidoff (New York Post) predicts that Martin, lefthander Francisco Liriano, and outfielder Nori Aoki end up with the Rangers, even though “Texas hasn’t been mentioned much in the Martin sweepstakes.” R.J. Anderson (Baseball Prospectus) also predicts that Texas reunites Jeff Banister with Martin, and places outfielder Melky Cabrera and right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano with the Rangers as well."

" Jerry Crasnick (ESPN) reports that Seattle is [FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]“expected to shop outfielder Michael Saunders hard at [the] GM Meetings.” Major League sources tell Chris Cotillo (MLB Daily Dish) that the Rangers, Reds, Dodgers, Tigers, Orioles, Blue Jays, Mets, A[FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]’s, Angels, Rays, and Phillies are “the teams to watch”[FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif] in talks for the left-handed-hitting outfielder, who turns 28 later this month. "[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]


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interesting

 

[saddles]

This also from Jamey:

"Jeff Wilson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) reports that Martin Perez was expected to start throwing at some point this month as part of his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, and that Matt Harrison should start throwing in January."

 

[scotsman1948]

This also from Jamey:

"Jeff Wilson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) reports that Martin Perez was expected to start throwing at some point this month as part of his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, and that Matt Harrison should start throwing in January."

don't see Harrison ever being a cog in the Rangers plans

 

[donaldson79]

"Ken Davidoff (New York Post) predicts that Martin, lefthander Francisco Liriano, and outfielder Nori Aoki end up with the Rangers, even though “Texas hasn’t been mentioned much in the Martin sweepstakes.” R.J. Anderson (Baseball Prospectus) also predicts that Texas reunites Jeff Banister with Martin, and places outfielder Melky Cabrera and right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano with the Rangers as well."

Well, both of these guys aren't going to be 100% right that's for sure.

 

[donaldson79]

don't see Harrison ever being a cog in the Rangers plans

I'm gonna put Harrison's return on my Christmas wish list. But honestly, I don't think he'll ever throw for us again, much less be effective.

 

[saddles]

don't see Harrison ever being a cog in the Rangers plans

He will probably make just enough appearances to keep the insurance plan from kicking in knowing our luck with injuries. Maybe make his way onto the 25 man roster sometime in late May only to go on the DL again later that month and then make another try of it in August. Just enough so that we have to pay the whole salary. I am not sure how much difference the insurance proceeds would make as far as having more money to spend anyway though.

 

[scotsman1948]

He will probably make just enough appearances to keep the insurance plan from kicking in knowing our luck with injuries. Maybe make his way onto the 25 man roster sometime in late May only to go on the DL again later that month and then make another try of it in August. Just enough so that we have to pay the whole salary. I am not sure how much difference the insurance proceeds would make as far as having more money to spend anyway though.

we are going to have to pay him one way or the other and the insurance makes more sense

 

[Bmurph]

I'm gonna put Harrison's return on my Christmas wish list. But honestly, I don't think he'll ever throw for us again, much less be effective.

I think anyone counting on him to fill one of the SP spots this year would be awfully optimistic to a fault

 

[saddles]

we are going to have to pay him one way or the other and the insurance makes more sense

Yes, we will have to pay him. That is a given. I am just saying that he will probably play enough to keep us from collecting on the insurance. He has to not play for an extended period of time for the insurance to kick in and then there are deductibles as well. I half way expect him to play just enough to keep the insurance from kicking in. That would be our luck.

 

[Justinkm83]

I think anyone counting on him to fill one of the SP spots this year would be awfully optimistic to a fault

It would make one hell of a story though. I hope he finds a way to be productive again, but I doubt it happens.

 

[Bmurph]

It would make one hell of a story though. I hope he finds a way to be productive again, but I doubt it happens.

It sure would, and I'm rooting like hell for that guy. He's one hell of a nice guy, the odds are just double stacked against him